1785 Vermont copper. Ryder-2. Rarity-4-. Landscape, VERMONTS. Very Fine. Choice dark chocolate brown with hard, glossy surfaces. Even though 95% of the planchet is of top quality, this being a 1785 Vermont Landscape, there had to be a catch, and there is: the ragged clip left of the date, the result of this planchet being created from the edge of a rolled strip. A little fine granularity surrounds the clip on the obverse, though the reverse is smooth right up to the edge. The first date digit is affected, as is VERM. DECIMA hangs onto the edge, barely, on the reverse. The rest of the coin is extremely bold and very attractive on the whole. Only a few minor little marks are seen, like the fine abrasion under S of RES. Ryder-2s are not easy to find nice. This piece, charming in its crudity like so many Vermont Landscapes, presents very nicely in hand...$975
1787 New Jersey copper. Maris 63-q. Rarity-3. Large Planchet. About Uncirculated. A gorgeous type coin from the Jack Royse Collection, off the market since he acquired it in December 1969. I had the good fortune of cataloguing the Royse coins raw, before the whole collection went to PCGS, and I graded this piece AU-50, knowing that Large Planchet NJs are always a bit soft at centers and recognizing the sedate remaining lustre and faded mint color for what it is. I described the coin as "Frosty luster has survived on both sides, with subtle hints of faded mint color around legends and plow, particularly strong at NOVA. Perfectly centered and barely worn, though soft at the centers, as so often seen on this Large Planchet variety. A streak of toning is present beneath the final A of CAESAREA. Late die state, with substantial break at upper left corner of shield and cracks through PLU and from the star to shield. A beautiful coin that really offers no post-striking flaws." It was undergraded by PCGS as a VF-35 (one of those lustrous VF New Jerseys that are all over the place), then realized what must be a world record price for a Rarity-3 VF New Jersey at auction. It is now freed of its plastic and offered as the choice type coin that it is...$2,450
1760 Voce Populi halfpenny. Nelson-4. Zelinka 2-A. Rarity-3. About Uncirculated. Another beautiful early copper from the legendary Ted Craige collection, the sole piece I bought from his cabinet of Voce Populi halfpence, which is the finest ever sold at auction in my estimation, finer than Ford's, Zelinka's, McGrath's, Bibbins, and just about everyone else's. The Nelson coins are now off the market at Colonial Williamsburg. In the recent StacksBowers sale of the Craige Collection, I described this coin as "Another superb Nelson-4, with good remaining luster on the light brown obverse and deeper mahogany brown reverse. Ideally centered on both sides, well struck on a thick planchet. A single short hairline is noted on the cheek, a tiny rim nick over P in POPULI and a few smaller ones around the reverse, a couple natural planchet chips near ribbon bows on obverse. This Craige duplicate is actually finer than the Zelinka and McGrath specimens, among many others in well-formed collections. Craige called it 'XF/AU, NICE.'" I never knew Ted Craige, but I have a lot of respect for a guy who can call a coin "XF-AU, NICE" and leave it at that. Nice is exactly what this Voce is...$1,350
(ca. 1674?) Saint Patrick "farthing." Breen-208. Nothing below king. Choice Fine. Another selection from the Craige collection, a well-balanced and nicely detailed piece with the sort of smooth surfaces that are almost never encountered on a Saint Patrick farthing. I described this piece as "Attractive light brown with deep olive toning around devices and legends. Nicely centered on a broad planchet, though S of PLEBS is worn into the rim. About a half dozen minuscule pinpoint natural pits are present on the reverse, even less substantial ones here and there on the obverse, but this piece is choice and smooth otherwise, with no post-striking flaws to note. The splash is deep gold and oval, covering the crown and extending upwards to the rim. A lovely example with unusual surface quality." As a type coin, this displays the designs and legends completely without dealing with the usual wretched surfaces...$3,125
(ca. 1674?) Saint Patrick "farthing." Breen-208. Nothing below king. Choice Very Good. Most Saint Patrick farthings, regardless of grade, make an emery board seem smooth. Thus, when picking coins out to add to inventory from the Ted Craige Collection, I focused intensely on the ones with nice, smooth surfaces. Though worn, this is such a coin. I described it as "Glossy and attractive medium brown, with a deep mustard splash that fills the crown and contrasts nicely. The surfaces are hard and smooth, free of any trace of roughness or granularity. Tiny dark spots are noted on the king's crown, the right foot of R of REX, and A of FLOREAT. Die failure at northwest obverse wipes out the legend in that area, central reverse lacks much detail but the peripheries are complete and well-detailed. Light rim scuff noted at 5 o'clock on obverse, tinier nick left of it. From the same dies as Griffee:92, his G1-4/0j." If you're fussy about color and surface but enjoy collecting circulated coins, this might be ideal...$1,325
1688 American Plantation token. Newman 4-E. Original. Very Fine. Beaded edge. A good looking original American Plantation token. Recently uncovered in England by a metal detectorist, this piece has all the hallmarks of an original striking: somewhat uneven placement of the beading by the edge dies, tin surfaces, dark patina with no trace of lustre. The Whitman Colonial book asserts "most if not all examples in the marketplace are restrikes. Although originals are believed to have been made, Roger S. Siboni has not been able to determine any variety other than restrikes." I disagree with my friend Roger on this, as I know of this piece and another holed, worn Newman 4-E that were both found in the English soil, which is a weird resting place for a numismatic restrike that a collector bought at a premium price in 1828. This example has nice deep gray color and better than typical surfaces, with just a little loss from tin pest in the legend at JACOB and on the rear end of the horse. Only the most trivial edge chips are seen. American Plantation tokens have come into their own of late, finally appreciated by variety collectors and type enthusiasts. Restrikes have never interested me much, but originals like this are historic and genuinely rare...$1,485
1787 Connecticut copper. Miller 37.5-E. Rarity-5. Draped Bust Left. VF-35 (PCGS). Beautiful glossy chocolate brown with golden undertones and frosty lustre remaining around devices. Technically Extremely Fine, which is a grade I'd have no hesitation in assessing this piece in the raw. Only minor little planchet flecks, the most notable being the one on the neck of the obverse portrait and at the ankle of the seated fiigure, no bad marks other than a little rim nick beneath the shield base. Perfectly centered with complete legends and date, good detail on both sides. A handsome and hefty Connecticut, weighing 167.6 grains, the same weight as a post-1795 large cent. Ex. Steve Tanenbaum Collection, Mike Ringo in August 1990...$595
Superb Saint Patrick Farthing, ex Craige
(ca. 1674?) Saint Patrick "farthing." Breen-208. Nothing below king. EF-45 (PCGS). A magnificent Saint Patrick farthing from the Craige Collection, coin for coin the finest collection of Saint Patrick coppers ever sold at auction. While Griffee had more, the Craige coins were of a uniform nice quality. Among those 70-odd farthings, a few stood out, and this was prominent among them. Only a handful of the Craige St. Patrick pieces were graded by PCGS -- before the sale, in my role as StacksBowers colonial consultant and cataloguer, I hand selected the nicest half dozen to go in for grading, while the rest sold raw. The highest graded one of these came back in an AU-53 holder, but that one showed significant weakness atop both sides, rendering the design incomplete. The next highest graded, a well balanced and fully struck piece, was graded AU-50. That coin realized $14,950. This one was the next highest graded piece, coming in at EF-45. From there, it was a big drop-off down to the next highest PCGS graded piece in the sale, the VF-30 from the Royse Collection, which sold for $4,600. I described this coin in the catalogue as "Glossy medium brown, essentially smooth, with a splash of olive below the crown on the obverse. A very sharp and attractive specimen, retaining some facial detail on Saint Patrick's visage. A natural clip is present at 7 o'clock relative to the obverse, obverse aligned to 9 o'clock, reverse to 3 o'clock, full denticles and die edge opposite both. FLOREAT and PLEBS are both a trifle soft at the rim. A choice, problem-free example in unusually nice grade. Offered as the only Saint Patrick farthing in any major auction, this coin would see the laser-eyed attention of specialists; it should not be paid any less in this context." With the dust settled, and the vast majority of the coins going to collectors in the audience rather than into dealer inventories, we can more soberly assess this opportunity: coins like this just do not come up that often. Craige pursued the series with an intense vigor and no serious competition, and this was arguably the second best piece he got. Its surfaces and sharpness are better than the various EF Saint Patrick farthings in the Heritage archive, like an NGC 45 sold in 2011 for $8,050 and the far more worn PCGS 40 sold in 2009 for $6,900. As far back as 2006, a PCGS 40 brought $9,775. The pieces graded AU haven't been any nicer, like this poorly struck 50 at $8,050 a year ago or this NGC 50 with less choice surfaces at $10,350. Go survey the other EFs and AUs (either service!) offered at auction in the last five years, and few indeed match this one for both detail and surface quality. Compared to all these recent sales, this coin seems very fairly priced at...$10,500
1787 Fugio copper. Newman 18-U. Rarity-4. EF-45 (PCGS). Another Condition Census calibre example from the Retz collection, which I described for the Retz sale catalogue as "Beautiful light brown with smooth, glossy surfaces. A problem free coin, with just some minor marks remaining in the softly struck area on the reverse rim between 6 o'clock and 9 o'clock; the same area on the obverse, above the sunface, is also a bit soft. A single nick under the stop after FUGIO serves as an identifier. Struck slightly off-center to 6 o'clock, the bottom half of BUSINESS not present. The reverse shows significant clashing, but the obverse shows none, a 'very early die state' according to Rob's manuscript. While this variety is only scarce, not rare (though Rob called it an R-5-), there are few finer examples. Rob knew of one Mint State piece (in a New York City collection) and four he graded AU, led by the two very pretty Boyd-Ford coins. Rob ranked this piece as sixth best, grading it the same EF-45 grade as PCGS and your cataloger. In the EF range, it would be tough to top this coin's outstanding visual appeal." For Fugio variety specialists, this coin would prove exceptionally difficult to upgrade...$2,975
Impressively Choice 1785 Miller 3.4-F.2 Connecticut Copper
1785 Connecticut copper. Miller 3.4-F.2. Rarity-2. Mailed Bust Right. Choice Extremely Fine. Choice glossy light brown with ideal smooth surfaces. The obverse is hard, smooth, and unflawed, nicely-centered and well-struck, just picture perfect for a 1785 Connecticut. The reverse is centered a bit towards 2:00, but the date and legends are full. The detail is crisp, and honest-to-goodness lustre remains in the protected area above INDE. We note only minuscule flaws above D of INDE and atop the shield, both as struck. The Oeschner coin seems to be the class of this variety. Even though Ford's was the Miller coin, I prefer this one for surface and color, and it is an apparent tie for sharpness. A glorious Connecticut type coin that would right at home in any advanced collection, and a variety representative of such high quality that it would have upgraded nearly every classic cabinet of the past...$1,825
1787 Fugio copper. Newman 15-H. Rarity-4. EF-40 (PCGS). Quite close to Condition Census quality for this fairly scarce die variety, not significantly removed from the quality of the EF-45 (PCGS) Rob Retz coin which just sold for $3,220. That coin was ranked as tied for fifth finest known by Rob, who never had the chance to see this new discovery piece. Its surfaces are very attractive light brown, mostly smooth and glossy but for some scattered light flecky planchet flaws. The most significant flaw, left of the sunface, is the only one plain to the naked eye. Aside from a minuscule rim tick at 3:00 on the reverse, the surfaces are free of major contact points. This is an eyeball variety for Fugio specialists, with the long die crack from the right base of the sundial to the exergual line denoting obverse 15, here married to its only UNITED STATES reverse, reverse H. This is a very scarce, high grade example of a distinctive variety for not much more than common variety money...$1,975
1787 Fugio copper. Newman 16-H. Rarity-5. VF-30 (PCGS). An unusually attractive example of this very scarce variety, one that can be found in low grades with some looking but is extremely rare better than VF and rarely found choice in any grade. From the Rob Retz collection, where I described it as "171.7 grains. A chubby puppy among Fugios, weighing more than a post-1795 large cent. Rich dark chocolate brown with smooth, attractive surfaces of enviable hardness. A really beautiful Fugio, particularly for this variety. Rob graded this coin VF-35 choice and your cataloger blindly also graded it VF-35 before submission to PCGS. A minuscule rim tick above the first 7 of the date serves as an identifier; magnification-assisted nitpickers may also note a single hairline from the third cinquefoil to the sundial and the slightest hint of verdigris within a few rings. The die state is the typical one, with a heavy break at 6 o'clock on the reverse, equivalent to Newman (2008) reverse state D. Rob ranked his coin as ninth finest, behind a Mint State piece in the New York City collection, the Kessler-Spangenberger coin called EF-40, the similarly graded Boyd-Ford coin, and others in the EF-40 to AU-50 range. The primary Ford coin showed some dark specks, but still realized $3,737.50 in 2003. This piece boasts strong eye appeal and far finer than normal sharpness, with the added interest of being the second heaviest Fugio in the Retz collection." The superb color and surfaces, bold contrast between the dark chocolate fields and tan devices, and overall rarity make this a highly desirable Fugio...$2,475
1787 Fugio copper. Newman 17-S. Rarity-3. (probably more like Rarity-4). EF-45 (PCGS). One of my favorite pieces from the Retz Collection, for its superb strike, great color, and bold contrast. I catalogued this piece in the Retz Collection sale as follows: "This variety was called Rarity-5 in the Ford sale and Rarity-5 in Rob's manuscript; we would be more comfortable with a Rarity-4 assignment than the Rarity-3 this was accorded in the 2008 Newman text. Very attractive dark chocolate brown with light brown devices. Abundant detail is present on both sides, seemingly better than the grade assigned. The sundial is particularly bold, the legends are complete, and the glossy reverse is quite close to Mint State. Some very shallow obverse accretion or verdigris is present, to no significant distraction. Aside from a tiny nick on the obverse rim right of the sunface, we note no marks of consequence. This high quality piece is not listed in Rob's census, suggesting he acquired it quite late. He noted two Mint State pieces, along with five AUs. The Newman (2008) plate piece was listed as fifth finest. The Boyd-Ford coins were accorded tenth and eleventh position; we like this one significantly better than the second Boyd-Ford coin and prefer it to the first Boyd-Ford coin, given the raised corrosion present on the reverse of that piece. The Newman (2008) plate piece shows significant striations, as does one of the Unc specimens. So where would we rank this? Somewhere among the top half dozen or so, surely within the top 10. Though fairly available in grades like Fine or Very Fine, this variety is truly tough in EF or above." When I graded this coin raw, before the Retz coins went off to PCGS, I graded it AU-50. It's unusual to find this kind of eye appeal and quality in a Fugio, even (or especially) among the hoard varieties. As a non-hoard variety, coins of this grade are merely accidental survivors...$3,250
Choice Overstruck 1787 Vermont Ryder-12
1787 Vermont copper. Ryder-12. Rarity-4. Mailed Bust Right. Overstruck on Nova Constellatio copper. Choice Very Fine. Overstruck colonials are a miniature lesson in economics of the pre-Federal era, and this one is no exception. We have a coin bearing the legends of a putatively independent area claimed by New York and New Hampshire, struck in New York, imitating a copper halfpenny of England, struck atop an English-made Nova Constellatio copper bearing the legend "US." As an unusual, new-style copper coin made in the late 1780s, its acceptance depended upon it resembling the most common copper then circulating: the British halfpenny. In that form, it passed more easily (and thus was more valuable) than the Nova Constellatio copper upon which it was struck. It was produced at Machin's Mills at the same time that mint was making counterfeit halfpence, under a subcontact with representatives of the Vermont government. That Machin's Mills halfpence are relatively more common than Vermont coppers suggests the profit motive at Capt. Machin's mint: they could keep all the profit from the halfpence, but had to share it when striking Vermonts. It's no wonder these pieces are scarce today. What's especially scarce is a piece of this quality, with pleasing, hard, smooth, glossy tan surfaces and no major flaws. A little speck of verdigris is visible at the rim just left of 6:00 on the obverse, but the surfaces are free of any significant marks. The date is visible if soft, and the legends are nice and bold. The rays of the Nova Constellatio undertype radiate from the central obverse. A beautiful and interesting Vermont copper, a history lesson unto itself...$1,395
Superb 1787 Machin's Halfpenny, ex Craige and Royse
1787 Machin's Mills halfpenny. Vlack 17-87B. Rarity-2. VF-35 (PCGS). An absolutely stellar example of this variety, with a provenance back to the legendary Ted Craige collection, dispersed by Metropolitan Rare Coin Galleries of New York. It is a bit ironic that a substantial portion of Craige's Machin's Mills pieces would hit the market in the exact sale where Craige's long-hidden collection would first be offered, but as part of a different consignment. Jack Royse bought several pieces from the Craige collection, all of which retained the light blue-green paper envelopes they were offered in by MRCG four decades ago. This comes from the recent Stack's / C4 sale of the Royse collection, where I described it as "Rich even dark chocolate brown with no notable problems. Not quite smooth, but not granular either, just somewhat matte in appearance. While this is one of the easier Machin's Mills halfpennies to find in nice grade, they are rarely this choice and even. This piece shows a better central strike than even the gorgeous Unc Ringo coin, fully detailed at the usually soft centers, and thus even more desirable." For strike, color, sharpness, and even eye appeal, this coin is just about unbeatable, as a variety or as a type...$1,650
Rare Uncleaned Louis d'Or from Le Chameau (1725)
France and colonies. 1725 H louis d'or. La Rochelle mint. Mint State / As salvaged. An unusual example from the famed Le Chameau, the French warship that sank near Louisbourg as it carried pay to French soliders against the English crown and American provincials there. The 1721 and 1722 French colonial copper nine deniers had been carried by the same vessel just a few years earlier, most of which were struck at La Rochelle, like this piece. When the wreck was located in 1965 (near a boulder called Chameau Rock, non-coincidentally), thousands and thousands of silver ecus were found, along with a much smaller proportion of Louis d'or like this. The wave action and sand had corroded much of the silver badly, and most of the gold also had a sandblasted appearance. John Ford consulted with Sotheby's on their 1971 auction of treasure from the wreck, and he had first choice of coins before their wholesale cleaning. He took the opportunity to build a date set and, apparently let Ted Craige select a number of pieces too. Ford personally cleaned his coins with Pepsodent toothpaste (he was fond of telling the story), but Craige left his alone, leaving the louis d'or from his collection among the only ones in their as-found state. This one reflects that originality, with rich crimson crust imbued by years spent near the rusting cannons. In an area of the left obverse, bold and dramatic lustre remains, protected during its time in the water and still gleaming. A raised portion of encrustation is seen on the reverse, showing ferrous buildup and some tiny gravel. I thought this was the most interesting looking example in the Craige collection. As the only gold type in the French colonial canon, not to mention a denomination included among the September 1776 Continental Congress list of legal tender coins, it fits perfectly into any early American collection. If you'd like one of the scrubbed and sandblasted ones that turn up on the market occasionally, you'll have to look elsewhere...$1,950
The Richard Picker-Rob Retz Newman 3-D Fugio
1787 Fugio copper. Newman 3-D. Rarity-3. Club Rays. VF-35 (PCGS). A recent acquisition from the collection of Rob Retz. I graded this coin solid EF when I viewed it raw during cataloguing, though Rob and PCGS agreed on the VF-35 grade. Here's how I described it for the catalogue: "A lovely example, described in the 1984 Picker sale as follows: 'All sundial numerals sharp and clear, with reverse legends completely readable. A perfect light olive brown. An excellent type example that would be hard to improve. Nice Very Fine.' The only quibble we would have is that, today, this coin seems to meet the modern standards for EF, but Rob graded it 35, so the grade is at least consistent with his opinion. The surfaces are smooth and glossy but for some trivial surface granularity at the base of the reverse. The centering allows for a complete obverse exergual legend. The eye appeal is superb for the variety, which rarely comes smooth and less often comes with attractive light brown color. Rob listed this at number 16 on his census, which includes a handful of AU coins but no UNCs. Advanced die state with a light crack connecting the top of the date digits, in addition to the crack from rim to stop after FUGIO. A superb type coin with great eye appeal and provenance." Anyone who has perused the 1984 Richard Picker Collection catalogue has noted that there are only nice coins therein -- while not the biggest sale, the collection contains as pure a colonial type set as any assembled, chock full of choice coins hand selected by Picker from all those he handled during his decades as America's preeminent specialist dealer in early American issues. There are very few provenances I hold in higher esteem. Ex. Picker (Stack's, October 1984), Lot 286; Retz (Stack's, November 2012, Lot 6770)...$4,450
High Grade Camel Head New Jersey
Ex. Wayte Raymond (1912)-Ryder-Boyd-Tanenbaum
1787 New Jersey copper. Maris 56-n. Rarity-1. Camel Head. EF-45 (PCGS). Graded AU-50 in the January 2012 Stack's Americana sale of the Tanenbaum Collection and included as AU in the Howes-Siboni-Ish New Jersey Condition Census, where it is ranked as tied for sixth of this distinctive and plentiful variety. Not overstruck, but coined on a virgin 113 grain planchet, making it unusual among its camelid cousins. The surfaces display a high degree of frosty gloss on its deep chocolate brown surfaces, just a little darker in an area at right central obverse. Nicely struck and detailed, with the shield detail fully delineated, fairly well centered on the planchet with just the bases of the date numerals affected by the edge. A single old hairline under REA is the only flaw worth noting. Technically, this piece shows very little actual wear, placing it among the top echelon of the known Camel Heads. This piece was acquired by Hillyer Ryder from Wayte Raymond's December 1912 United States Coin Company sale, then acquired by F.C.C. Boyd as part of the Ryder collection. John Ford consigned this to the March 1990 Bowers and Merena "Boyd, Brand, and Ryder" sale, where Steve Tanenbaum bought it. It was the nicest of his many Camel Heads and the only one that wasn't overstruck. It was not the most expensive when his collection sold, however, with that laurel going to one overstruck on a Nova Constellatio that realized $4,600. Nice Camel Heads are always avidly sought, and this one add to nearly any advanced specialty or type collection...$3,150
1787 Massachusetts cent. Ryder 2b-A. Rarity-3-. Horned Eagle. AU-55 (PCGS). A beautiful example of this naked-eye variety, combining the same obverse used on the Transposed Arrows rarity with a reverse whose injury above the eagle's head gives it its colorful moniker. As the Transposed Arrows is generally thought to have been the first Massachusetts cent variety struck (and thus the first American cent), this is probably the second. The surfaces are glossy and smooth, with frosty lustre on both sides. The left side of the obverse is a deep chocolate brown, the right side closer to light milk chocolate brown; the reverse shows some of the lighter shade in the northwest quadrant but is mostly that nice darker chocolate brown. Problem-free and very pleasing. This is as nice as anything in the Ford Collection, which included Ryder's own Massachusetts coppers, and is comparable to the finest Horned Eagle therein. This piece was last offered in the Heritage sale of January 2008, where it brought $3,400. An ideal type coin in a series where even high grade coins often sport planchet or striking issues...$3,575
The Beautiful Norweb 1796 Repub Ameri Token
1796 Repub. Ameri token or "penny." Bronzed copper, 33 mm. Baker-68, Breen-1275. Choice Mint State. Beautiful deep chocolate brown with fully reflective bronzed surfaces. Essentially gem, with just a few spare hairlines visible under a glass. Included in the Breen Encyclopedia and the Dalton and Hamer conder token reference, this piece has long been collected as a coin or token. This 1796-dated piece was struck to mark the retirement of Washington from the Presidency, a revolutionary development for the new nation; a similar piece (Baker-69) was struck in 1800 to memorialize Washington's passing. This variety seems a bit scarcer than Baker-69 today; both are rare, even rarer in this illustrious grade. I first saw this piece in the summer of 2006 when it emerged from the trunk that contained the Norweb collection of Washingtoniana; it was still in its original pink (for copper) Norweb envelope at the time. This piece brought $4,600 in the November 2006 Norweb sale, catalogued by American Numismatic Rarities and sold after the merger with Stack's. It reappeared in the September 2009 Stack's Americana sale; it again brought $4,600. It is now on the market again after having most recently resided in the famed Cardinal Collection. The original Norweb envelope and two lot tickets are still with it...$4,600
Choice EF 1785 Nova Constellatio copper
1785 Nova Constellatio copper. Crosby 3-B. Script US, Pointed Rays. EF-40 (PCGS). Glossy medium brown with excellent visual appeal. A little area of darker toning is present left of US, single spot on the reverse, superb eye look overall. This is one of those types that any collection of early American coins should have represented in some grade. Mint State pieces are nice, but they tend to sell in the $3000 and up range and many aren't all that original. This one shows strong originality and only a little wear. But for the crumbled die state, we could easily see this in an EF-45 holder...$1050
1787 (i.e. ca. 2000) Gallery Mint Brasher half doubloon. Gold, 25.7 mm. Gem Mint State. 215.6 grains. Struck in 22 karat gold. Superb gleaming lustrous yellow gold, unflawed and as struck. These dies by Ron Landis are extremely faithful to the original dies; they even have the oval EB punchmark on the wing. The COPY mark is buried in the foreground of the obverse. This piece comes with numbered ticket 79. I don't know how many were struck (it was not a large number, to be sure), but I do know that a fair share of these pieces have been melted in recent years. Full doubloons were more popular than the half doubloons like this, making this a serious rarity among colonial-inspired struck copies. None of us will ever own a real Brasher half doubloon -- the only known example is in the Smithsonian Institution. The Gallery Mint, Ron Landis and Joe Rust, represented a high water mark in the production of collectible struck copies using period technolgy. This is one of their finest efforts...$1195
A Ryder-18 Love Token
1788 Vermont copper. Ryder-18. Rarity-5. Mailed Bust Right. Fine. 114.9 grains. Light brown with some shallow black scale here and there, more prominent on the reverse than obverse. Well centered, obverse legends complete, date and ET LIB partially visible on reverse. The letters E C are attractively engraved on the obverse in an ancient script, making this the only love token I've ever seen on a rare Vermont copper. Some cruder scratches blend into the central reverse. Beautiful Ryder-18s are few and far between, and most show a pretty crude appearance, often including plentiful undertype. While none is visible here, its probably down in the mix somewhere. Having a love token Ryder-18 would certainly be one way to distinguish yourself from other Vermont copper collecting friends...$625
1786 Vermont copper. Baby Head. Ryder-9. Rarity-4. About Very Fine. 111.3 grains. It's hard to use traditional positive coin cliches with a Vermont Baby Head. I described my first Baby Head almost 20 years ago now (it's now known as the Friedus coin -- a really nice Baby Head to be sure), and I don't think I've ever used a word like "choice," "beautiful," "glossy," "ideal," or the other favorites I trot out when a pretty copper is in front of me. However, even among such treacherous territory, some Baby Heads are clearly nicer than others, and this one is nicer than most. The obverse is mostly olive brown, with some deep ruddy patina at left. The legends are almost complete, and the portrait is nicely detailed, almost as sharp as the Roper-Royse specimen. There are some planchet flaws, of course, though the reverse has one big one at center rather than a bunch of little ones that kill the detail. As is typical, just the tops of the date digits are visible; sometimes no date at all made it on the planchet. A single fine scratch low on the cheek is the only post-striking flaw worth noting. While not highly glossy like a choice Landscape, nor is this piece granular or a grounder. Ownership of a Baby Head is a badge of honor, not because the type is so extremely rare, but rather because the collector who appreciates such coins clearly looks beyond the pursuit of the bright and shiny to something more sublime...$1650
1801 contemporary imitation two reales. Kleeberg 01A-M7. HE monogram mintmark in imitation of Lima. TH assayer. R denomination. Brass. Very Fine or better. An unusually nice example of one of the more common circulating counterfeit two reales, a denomination that circulated widely in early America and was widely counterfeited in North America as well. Nice glossy brassy gold with some deeper toning, about as much sharpness as when struck, with the fine laurel still visible in Carlos' hair. No scratches or damage as often seen, central reverse well struck, a far nicer piece than typically encountered on this issue. The mintmark is a bad imitation of the LIMAE monogram for Lima, the assayer is one used on Mexico City issues of Carlos IV from 1804, and the R denomination is missing the "2" that goes before it. As Kleeberg points out in his ANS COAC paper on counterfeit two reales, a mismatched mintmark-assayer error on a counterfeit can only happen in a place where coins of both mints circulate side by side. The Ringo sale and a few other specialized collections have helped draw attention to this fascinating series, one whose prices resemble that of colonial coins a few decades ago...$250
Choice "Defiant Head" 1751 Circulating Counterfeit Halfpenny
1751 circulating counterfeit halfpenny. Defiant Head. Anton-Kesse 57. Choice Very Fine. 119.4 grains. Put simply, the nicest example of this issue I've ever seen, just marginally less sharp than the AK plate coin, but with ideal and choice glossy chocolate brown surfaces. Smooth, problem-free, and likely impossible to upgrade. This one is way nicer than the Ringo coin which brought $374 in January 2008 (five years ago, which makes me feel old). Ringo's was actually an AK-56, another 1751 variety from the same workshop as this AK-57. Another AK-56 with granular surfaces brought $276 in the January 2010 Stack's Americana sale. There probably aren't many fussy collectors who pursue circulating counterfeit halfpence, since most of the known specimens are damn ugly. If one was fussy about condition, however, this could would be quite a find. In a general sense, struck counterfeit George II halfpence are hundreds (thousands?) of times rarer than struck counterfeit George III halfpence...Sold
Rare Pillar Dollar from the French and Indian War Wreck HMS Tilbury (1757)
Mexico.1750 MF eight reales from the 1757 wreck of the HMS Tilbury. Saltwater AU. Chalky patina over well-preserved and barely corroded surfaces, with very little wear evident. The edge device is almost entirely intact, and the eye appeal is far finer than usually encountered on coins from this historic wreck. A scarce provenance, the Tilbury was a British warship that carried the pay for the 1757 (not 1758) British expedition against the French fortress at Louisbourg, Nova Scotia. The expedition was cancelled, but the taking of the fortress in 1758 gave the British access to the interior of Canada and gave them a firm upper hand in the American theatre of the French and Indian War. The coins recovered from the Tilbury were mostly Pillar dollars, along with some cobs. The coins are seen rarely today, and most are pretty well chewed up. This nice exception comes with a numbered certificate from the French-Canadian salvors, signed in ink (in addition to the usual autopen) by Pierre Leclerc. This is really the only wreck from the French and Indian War that yielded collectible coins, and it makes a fine addition to a collection that includes a piece from the 1761 wreck of Le Auguste...$525
Skull and crossbones engraving on 1818 N-1 large cent. Coin About Good, engraving finer. A crude but charming rendition of the icon of piracy, poison, a certain club at Yale, and about a thousand other things. The crossed "bones" look like a serpent and a club, which might be purposeful and might just be poor artistry. The most famous numismatic skull and crossbones must be the one on the 1800 Washington Funeral medal, but there are several others. Engraved renditions are scarce and popular...Hold
Rare Newman 9-T Fugio, PCGS VF-25
1787 Fugio copper. Newman 9-T. Rarity-6. Pointed Rays, STATES UNITED. VF-25 (PCGS). A significant rarity in the Fugio series, called Rarity-6 in the most recent Newman update (which mistakenly illustrates a 10-T on the appropriate page). The sole Newman 9-T illustrated (number 72217, ex Hancock) is a bit less sharp than this example but does exhibit lovely surfaces. The Boyd-Ford piece (plated in the original Newman) was sharper but dark and granular, while the Kessler piece (NASCA's Kessler-Spangenberger sale, April 1981, Lot 2423) was more flawed and less sharp than this one. This example is likely Condition Census for this rare variety, It shows attractive medium brown surfaces with good gloss, naturally flawed at base of obverse at NE of BUSINESS and just left of 6:00 on reverse, along with some other very minor peripheral planchet striations. A little scrape is seen above the final date digit and some very subtle granularity is visible under a glass, not enough to keep it out of a graded PCGS holder. When the Fugio variety series -- just 61 in number -- becomes more popular, rarities like this in Condition Census quality will seem like silly bargains. What kind of Chain cent can you buy for...$1650
1722 Rosa Americana twopence. Uncrowned Rose. Martin 3-C. VF-30 (PCGS Green Label). A choice example of this largest early American bronze in an old PCGS holder. Even dark chocolate brown with the kind of smooth surfaces infrequently encountered on this issue, with no low spots, bubbling, or areas of roughness. The sharpness is similar to what is typically graded EF-45 today. Just a beautiful and problem-free example...$950
Condition Census Quality Nelson-6 Voce Populi
1760 Voce Populi halfpenny. Nelson-6. Rarity-5. Extremely Fine. A beautiful example of this challenging variety, among the finest known from these dies. Rich dark chocolate brown surfaces are glossy and attractive, but for the central areas where the original planchet texture is prominent from lack of striking pressure. The eye appeal is far better than usually encountered, and the surface quality is superb for the issue. An old dig off the obverse figure's nose is the only mark worth noting. This is far better than the Ryder-Boyd-Ford coin which brought $546 in 2005, and it would likewise upgrade nearly every well-assembled cabinet of Voce Populis, past or present...$1375
1787 Connecticut copper. Miller 33.39-s.1. Rarity-4. Draped Bust Left. Extremely Fine. Glossy medium brown with a bold strike, showing good detail all over both obverse and reverse. An area of olive coloration at left obverse and left reverse sits atop the surfaces, just inactive verdigris or schmutz, perhaps removeable with a careful hand but as-is evidence of strong originality. Aside from a pinprick mark in the upper left reverse field, this piece is mark-free and enviably choice compared to most Draped Bust Left Connecticuts. The date is essentially complete. Almost as well detailed as the Ford Unc but offered at a minuscule fraction of its $25,300 price tag...$575
1796 (i.e. 1845-60) Castorland medal. Breen-1066. Original obverse, copy reverse. Choice Mint State. ARGENT with pointing hand on edge. A beautiful example, struck from the original 1796 obverse die by DuVivier and a copy reverse that was first placed in use upon the collapse of the original reverse ca. 1845 or so. Superlative cartwheel lustre on brilliant silver surfaces, nice bronze-colored toning at top of obverse and right periphery of reverse. Mark free, some subtle hairlines, nicely preserved. Long ignored, these restrikes are products of an original 18th century die and are just as collectible as the Comitia Americana restrikes of the same generation. Those medals, produced at the Paris Mint alongside of the Castorland pieces, now command four-figure sums for the pointing hand restrikes (ca. 1845-60). The Castorland pieces of the same era seem like bargains by comparison...$395
1793 contemporary counterfeit two reales. Kleeberg 93A-L6, the "Liberace Head." Lima mintmark, IJ assayer. Copper, likely overstruck. Fine or better. A pleasing and attractive example of this rare and crude circulating counterfeit two reales. Kleeberg knew of just three examples of this variety, the two in the Ringo collection (including this one) and one at the ANS. The first time a specimen of this variety sold at auction, in the June 2007 Coin Galleries auction, it brought $1,725. The two in Ringo are the only other specimens to ever sell publicly. All known specimens are struck in copper with notable, purposeful softness of the design. Ringo's primary piece and the 2007 CG specimen were both overstruck, and it's likely that the other known pieces are as well despite the lack of apparent undertype. This one is smooth chocolate brown with some trivial old scratches, including a light x-scratch in the right obverse field that probably was an attempt at counterfeit detection when this was still in pocket change. Some very subtle traces of silvering remain among the legends. Mike Ringo called this variety "the Liberace Head," which serves to highlight its charming crudity. Counterfeits like this were a prominent part of early American pocket change. Ex. Mike Ringo collection, Stack's June 2009 Schaumburg sale, Lot 82...$425
French Colonies / France. 1750/48 A 24 deniers or "sou marque." Paris mint. Vlack-30b. Rarity-8. MS-61 (PCGS). A rare overdate, far rarer than the standard 1750-A sou marque, listed as Rarity-5 by Vlack. Glowing bright lustre remains on both sides, with brilliant surfaces showing an attractive pale gold toning. Some natural striations in the planchet appear, manifesting as light roughness at centers, but the strike and eye appeal is good. Similar to the Vlack plate coin, which brought $690 in January 2008 and resold (as PCGS MS-61) in the November 2008 Bowers and Merena sale for $805. This piece is struck from the same dies, though in an earlier state. This type is a vital inclusion in any collection of French colonial pieces, as these circulated widely and commonly in the French dominions of North America and the West Indies, though it is more of a French mainland type adopted into widespread service here rather than a true colonial. Mint State ones are scarce in general, and this overdate variety can rightly be called rare in this or any other grade...$750
1787 Nova Eborac copper. Figure Seated Left. Breen-986. F-12 (PCGS). Even choice tan with nice in-hand appeal. A little off-center to 9:00, date complete though typically weak. A little old speck at the seated figure's elbow and a short scratch near the reverse rim at 4:00 are the only flaws and are minor ones at that. A popular state copper, several times scarcer than the issues of New Jersey, Connecticut, or even Vermont. This one clearly saw gentle circulation...$750
1778 Machin's Mills circulating imitation halfpenny. Vlack 12-78B. Rarity-3. About Uncirculated or better. An extremely high grade example of one of Thomas Machin's counterfeit halfpence. Traces of honest-to-goodness mint color surround GEO on the obverse, while the surfaces overall blend light brown with faint gold and rose, a bit uneven, lively and showing some mint frost or bloom, if not lustre. PCGS certified this as genuine based on the flaws in the planchet (code 93), particularly noticeable at the profile. As flawed as the planchet may be, this is as extremely sharp, barely worn, and very attractive example of this famed early American issue. Its quality is reminiscent of pieces associated with the "Stepney Hoard," though I have no specific provenance on this piece...$1450
1785 Connecticut copper. Miller 3.3-F.3. Rarity-4. Mailed Bust Right. Very Fine. Painted Die Variety, in with the Miller number in a familiar configuration in white ink. A pleasing tan specimen, a bit soft at lower obverse below a horizontal striation, but quite sharp above. The reverse is misaligned to 1:00, with a wide rim below the complete date. Some scattered minor striations and light hidden verdigris among the legends are noted but unimportant overall. A good-looking 1785 Connecticut that once graced a high-profile cabinet from a century ago. Comes with an old, somewhat soiled Stack's envelope priced at $7.50...Sold
Impressive Partial Brockage Fugio Copper
1787 Fugio copper. Newman 8-X. Rarity-1. Partial brockage, double struck reverse. Choice Very Fine. 142.8 grains. An eye-catching piece, with smooth light tan surfaces but also enormous planchet flaws, notably a large gap in the upper left reverse, a flaw at the base of the obverse, and one under the sunface. The dominant strike is slightly off-center, leaving some unstruck planchet area outside 5:00 on the obverse, 12:00 on the reverse. This piece entered the coining chamber in the company of another already-struck, partially ejected Fugio, which left an impression of its dentils in a vertical row under the left side of the sundial. The reverse shows two distinct impressions, both on center but slightly rotated, most notable at WE ARE ONE. Two horizontal scratches are present through IO of FUGIO to central obverse, only minor marks otherwise. Profoundly misstruck Fugios are perhaps more common than major errors in other Confederation copper series, but they remain both scarce and popular...$1275
1791 Washington Small Eagle cent. Baker-16, Breen-1217. AU-53 (PCGS). Ideal dark chocolate brown with smooth surfaces. A nice clean example, with just a shallow abrasion behind Washington's head to note. What appear to be little rim nicks are actually poorly placed edge lettering for the most part, common on this issue. Washington Small Eagle cents and their slightly more common Large Eagle counterparts were produced in Obediah Westwood's private Birmingham mint. Thousands of them made their way into American commerce via Philadelphia in the early 1790s, circulating alongside large cents of similar weight and perhaps inferior quality. The attractive portrait of Washington adds to this type's desirability...$1250
1786 Vermont copper. Lanscape, VERMONTENSIUM. Ryder-8. Rarity-4. Fine. A pleasing tan Vermont landscape with nearly ideal centering and excellent overall eye appeal. Somewhat crudely struck, as is typical, with a secondary planchet cutter line over DECIMA, some light reverse striations, and a more significant striation in the lower right obverse field. The date is clear (though 6 and PUBLICA are a bit weak) and VERMONTENSIUM is complete and all on the planchet. Mostly smooth and pleasantly preserved, this Landscape copper nicely summarizes both the high points and crudity of this popular issue...$975
"1789" (ca. 1825-30) Mott token. Breen-1020. Thick Planchet. Fine to Very Fine. A pleasing circulated example of this popular early American token. Not a colonial by any stretch, instead this was likely struck in the late 1820s, when the Mott clock firm was flourishing and using similar iconography in their advertising. For some reason, this issue is tough to find in nice circulated grades (though that may have something to do with the grading services calling every example of this issue that threatens the Very Fine level MS--62 BN or somesuch). The crummy quality of the dies and the advancement toward obliteration do make this a difficult type to grade, and pieces at every grade level seem to show more nicks and scratches and other assorted damage than other tokens of the era. This one shows some light scratches on the reverse and a shallow old scrape across the clock face on the obverse, but the color and surface quality are excellent. This isn't the latest die state, but it's past what I would term middle die state. Considering how ugly most Mint State examples are, a pleasing circulated example seems like a nice alternative...$465
(1791) French Royalist jeton by Reich. Brass, 29 mm. Choice Very Fine or better. Lovely smooth glossy surfaces retain a bit of lustre, though the softly struck central reverse makes this look more worn than it is. A few little toning spots, but nice in hand. The reverse inscription DIGNISSIMO is Latin for "most worthy," appropriate to the image below of an angel crowing King Louis XVI. The obverse portrait bears the bold signature REICH, most likely for Johann Christian Reich, the father of Johann Matthaus Reich, the famed US Mint engraver. Forrer suggests that jetons like these were the product of father and son working together, but Stew Witham's Reich biography suggests that the evidence points to Reich the Elder working alone. An interesting and attractive item from the Continent...$150
Choice 1787 Fugio Copper from the Bank of New York Hoard
1787 Fugio copper. Newman 13-X. Rarity-1. AU-58 (PCGS). Superb cartwheel lustre graces light to medium chocolate brown surfaces, shaded gold at peripheries where mint color was last to fade. The obverse fields and nearly all of the reverse are smooth, frosty, and beautiful, however, the base of the obverse shows a few significant planchet striations of the sort that are so often found on Bank of New York Hoard Fugios. The eye appeal and originality are superb on this piece despite its mint-made flaws. It has been said that PCGS net grades early coins with planchet flaws -- which would make sense here, since technically (and historically) this is an Uncirculated coin. PCGS-graded Fugios in AU-58 have lately been bringing in the $2300-2500 range. This one is a good buy at...$2150
1787 Fugio copper. Newman 13-X. Rarity-1. AU-50 (PCGS). A handsome chocolate brown coin, with light surfaces iridescence and good natural lustre. Technically probably realistically an AU-58, with just a hint of wear, but net-graded for a planchet flaw in the right sunrays and a thin striation through the center of STATES on the reverse. Well-centered, boldly struck, and fully original, a very nice Bank of New York hoard Fugio...$1675
France / French Colonies. 1725 H ecu. La Rochelle mint. Breen-385. Mint State, salvaged. From the 1725 wreck of Le Chameau. 18.6 grams. Despite losing almost half its weight from seawater corrosion, this piece retains a wealth of detail on both sides, far more than typically encountered from this famous North American wreck. The date is a little soft, some dark plaque beneath it. The obverse is medium gray at center, navy blue at peripheries, while the reverse is more mottled shades of gray. Breen accorded the ecus found amidst the wreckage of Le Chameau numbers in his 1988 Encyclopedia, and most specialists in French colonial issues have attempted to obtain something from the ship, which was bound to pay troops in New France. Specimens appear far less frequently than they once did...$325
1785 Connecticut copper. Miller 6.3-G.1. Rarity-3. Mailed Bust Right. Extremely Fine. A very nice grade example of this issue, showing a well-advanced die state and mostly glossy, smooth medium brown surfaces. There is a little roughness at ET on the reverse, some scattered natural planchet texture not struck out by the weak reverse die, actually a very high grade specimen despite the limited central detail. The die state is similar to the third Ford piece and the quality is not too far off either, though that piece brought a hefty $2,530. Handsome in terms of color and surface, a very pleasing 1785 Connecticut copper...$575
Great Britain / Massachusetts. 1749 farthing. George II. AU-50 (PCGS). A coin that has more reason to be in the Redbook than just about any other omitted issue: a Parliamentary act explicitly authorizing 1749 farthings and halfpence to be shipped to Boston by the hundreds of thousands. It's a lot more of a leg to stand on than a lot of avidly collected issues have, backed up with archaeological evidence of the plenitude of 1749 English halfpence and farthings from the Canadian Maritimes to Virginia and plenty of documentary evidence as well. Crosby nicely details the TWO TONS of 1749 farthings imported into Boston on the Mermaid. Its puzzling that these coins aren't better known or more popular. This piece is glossy chocolate brown with nice original surfaces and a little trapped dirt. While 1749 farthings aren't rare, they are tough to find in nice grade -- most are low grade grounders...$625
1773 Virginia halfpenny. With Period. Newman 25-M. MS-62 (PCGS). Nice choice chocolate brown with bright lustre and some golden toning. Boldly struck with full definition at the often-soft central reverse. Quite flashy, no marks or spots to note, seemingly worthy of some higher grade or at least very nice for this one. A handsome and very worthwhile example of this truly "colonial" issue, a lot prettier than the more expensive spotted and ugly red/browns out there...$1100
1787 Fugio copper. Newman 12-M. Rarity-3. VF-35 (PCGS). Medium brown with good sharpness and originality, a little dusky and very attractive. A little planchet gap sits harmlessly right of R in YOUR. Reverse shows clashing, all design elements bold enough to seemingly threaten the EF threshold. This is a nice type example for the grade that happens to not be one of the most often seen varieties...$1350
1788 Connecticut copper. Miller 2-D. Rarity-1. Choice Very Good. A beautiful example -- well worn, perhaps, but positively choice, with lovely glossy tan surfaces that don't betray a single significant flaw. A counterfeit issue of Machin's Mills, this variety was struck in large quantities. This piece was struck near the end of the die combination's life, with a cud visible at lower left obverse and a crack at the lower right reverse. A perfect example for the collector who doesn't mind a little wear as long as the coin is nearly perfect...$265
1807 circulating counterfeit two reales. Kleeberg 07A-P5. MP nonsense mintmark in ligature. J.G.P. nonsense assayer. Brass. Choice Extremely Fine. Dark brassy tan with lively surfaces. Some ruddy toning, surfaces glossy but show some minor detritus, boldly original. A popular variety, included in both the July 2007 Coin Galleries offering and the Ringo sale of June 2009. Those pieces were in the same condition class as this; they brought $402.50 and $345. Kleeberg knew of nine specimens, making this one of the more common of the identified struck counterfeit two reales varieties. This family included many dates and dies and probably represented a substantial counterfeiting operation. A scarce and interesting addition to a collection of early quarters or Spanish colonial coins...$325
Particularly Choice Pine Tree Shilling
PCGS VF-30, CAC
1652 Massachusetts Pine Tree shilling. Noe-29, Rarity-2. Small Planchet. VF-30 (PCGS). CAC. Just about the perfect Pine Tree shilling at this grade level. Choice deep antique gray surfaces contrast with lighter devices. The fields are smooth and attractive, lively and original. There is not a single mark of consequence. Struck on a broad planchet, weighing a robust 72.53 grains, the die edge shows at lower right obverse but the legends are complete on both sides. Just the tops of SATHV are off the planchet. A simply gorgeous coin, nicer in terms of metal quality and visual appeal than a lot of the EFs around. If you only want one Pine Tree shilling, this would be a good choice. A stellar example of this classic...$5450
Historic Pine Tree Shilling from the 1711 Wreck of the HMS Feversham
1652 Massachusetts Pine Tree shilling. Noe-29, Rarity-2. Small Planchet. Very Fine, corroded. 47.4 grains. Dark gray with the usual rough surfaces of pieces found in the Feversham treasure. The edges are a bit rougher than the centers, leaving a bold tree and a good bit of the date and denomination. Probably Very Fine or so when lost off Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, now perhaps Very Good or so overall. This piece has lost about a third of its original weight. First offered among the Feversham recovery coins sold in the January 2001 Stack's Americana sale as Lot 26. Pieces with direct provenance to one of the major Feversham sales tend to bring a premium...$1125
1787 Fugio copper. Newman 13-X. Rarity-1. AU-50 (PCGS). A lovely, glossy chocolate brown specimen, historically Mint State (a survivor of the Bank of New York hoard, it probably never left its keg) and technically perhaps an AU-55, but probably downgraded a bit for the few light natural planchet striations on the obverse. The most significant one is at the left base of the gnomon. The color and surfaces are beautiful, and good lustre remains. The ideal centering has left MIND YOUR BUSINESS complete and the detail is bold on both sides. Light clashmarks are seen, typical of the variety. With typical Mint State examples now regularly selling for $3000, this seems like good value at...$1675
1787 Fugio copper. Newman 19-SS (or 19-S.2). Rarity-5. VG-8 (PCGS). Pleasing olive brown and tan, smooth and nice for the grade. A small dig is present under the stop after FUGIO, other minor marks, but actually quite attractive for a worn specimen. While no longer full Rarity-6, Newman 19-SS remains a rare variety. A sharp but rough piece brought $805 in 2008 and the best one auctioned, a Very Fine, brought $5,750. This example is better than Ford's (he didn't have one at all, actually). If you, like F.C.C. Boyd, haven't found a specimen of this die variety yet, you can have this one for...$625
1787 Fugio copper. Newman 15-V. Rarity-5. Nearly Very Fine. Nice even light brown with very fine, very even granularity. A natural planchet gap is neatly placed within the sunrays, barely visible on the reverse, planchet otherwise intact. Since this question is often asked, if I had to guess this would probably certify somewhere in the F-15 or VF-20 range, and I don't think its minor granularity would preclude a numerical grade. Advanced die state with severe swelling at right center reverse, later than the last state illustrated in the new Newman work. Despite the rarity of the variety and die state, this is basically priced like a type coin. Fugio copper varieties are still inexpensive compared to other Confederation-era series...$625
1786 Vermont copper. Ryder-11. Rarity-4. Mailed Bust Left. Very Fine. 162.9 grains. An unusually plump example, nearly the weight of a post-1795 large cent! Even medium brown with glossy devices and finely granular fields, a conspiracy of the flowlined state of the dies and the typical Vermont copper planchet texture. A few small planchet gaps are seen, including one behind the bust and smaller ones on the reverse. VERMON AUCTORI is bold on the obverse, the reverse is aligned such that only INDE is visible. A pleasing example of this scarce state copper variety, produced in Vermont before production of the republic's coppers was farmed out to Captain Thomas Machin's operation in New York...$475
1786 Vermont copper. Ryder-10. Rarity-4. Mailed Bust Left. Very Fine or better. 121.1 grains. Small black "10" inobtrusively inked in the upper left field, difficult to see outside of the ideal light. Frosty olive brown with lighter brown at lower cuirass and in protected areas of the reverse, presumably where mint red was last to fade. The surfaces exhibit such great frost, such liveliness, that this coin probably shows very little actual wear; if we were to grade this coin by surfaces alone, it is perhaps technically About Uncirculated or at least a nice EF. The obverse is perfectly centered and fairly well struck, with great detail in the legends and cuirass, though the portrait shows the usual flatness. A fine die crack up from E of VERMON designates this as a late die state. A few parallel planchet striations of the sort nearly always found on Ryder 10, 11, and 15 are present, the two most significant behind the head. The reverse is also extremely sharp for the issue, particularly at the peripheries, where flowlines are in bold focus. The base of the reverse shows significant roughened planchet texture, as struck, which steals some of the date's thunder. On balance, this is a superb Ryder-10, with some areas as sharp as the finest specimens I've seen. Collecting Vermont coppers is always a give and take process, sacrificing surfaces for sharpness, detail for centering, or a date for central detail. Most collections would be proud to count this fine piece among their Vermont holdings...$985
1774 Machin's Mills halfpenny. Vlack 8-74A. Rarity-4. Very Fine. Nice medium chocolate brown with slightly lighter devices, a bit matte on both sides but very pleasing. Excellent visual appeal, no bad marks, just a tiny rim nick at 9:00 on the reverse and two small marks on the right side of the reverse. Just as sharp as this piece that realized $2,070, if not quite as glossy, certainly far finer than this NGC VF-30 that sold for $805. This example is far nicer than typical for this variety and is worth...Sold
1783 Georgius Triumpho copper. Breen-1184. VF-25 (PCGS). Even and attractive light brown. A few minor marks, middle die state with a crack present on the reverse but not so advanced that it obliterates the detail. A fascinating crossover piece, at once part of the English evasion halfpenny series, the Washington series, and the Confederation-era circulating coppers. Specimens have been located in American soil, and the iconography of a fleur-de-lis decorated prison trapping the seated Britannia is unmistakeable: this coin was meant for American pockets. The obverse portrait is an imitation of the Irish halfpenny portrait of George III, while the legend makes a gag on the leaders of both sides having the same first name. While plenty of Washington portrait coppers were made after his rise to the Presidency -- or even after his death -- this type was the first produced, and this should have a position of prominence on any Washington want list....$725
1788 Massachusetts cent. Ryder 10-L. Rarity-2. Choice Very Fine. 163.5 grains. Beautiful medium chocolate brown with hard, glossy surfaces and hints of pleasing woodgrain toning. A sharp and attractive type coin, just the sort of surfaces and look most collectors like to see in state coppers. A little rim nick is present over W of WEALTH, another similar on the reverse left of the date, short old scratch at bases of MM of COMMON, a few other very minor contact points here and there. Still choice for the grade, a very wholesome example of the issue. It's tough to find a nicer coin than this that's not priced like an EF...$825
1776 Machin's Mills imitation halfpenny. Vlack 6-76A. Choice Very Fine, ground patina. 110.4 grains. A truly beautiful early American coin -- as long as you like the look of Roman sestertii. A fine, glossy deep green patina has gathered on obverse and reverse, with some dusky encrustation through the legends. The dark jade patina is a bit lighter atop the reverse, but it is hard and complete, not patchy or rough. A few old horizontal pinscratches cross the top of George's head and a nick is present on his cheekbone. The central reverse is softly struck, as always, but the amount of detail present on this piece is far greater than normally encountered. Most grounders turn granular or corrode in the soil, but a select few develop a smooth patina like this. This example has clearly been out of the ground for some time; it was Lot 1086 in the September 1977 Stack's sale, and the envelope accompanies this coin. In hand, this coin offers a distinctive appeal. It also ranks as one of the sharpest examples of this classic Machin issue I've handled...$785
Beautiful 1795 Talbot, Allum, & Lee Cent, PCGS MS-64 BN
1795 Talbot, Allum, & Lee Cent. MS-64 BN (PCGS). Superb frosty cartwheel graces choice light brown surfaces, still ringed with original red at the peripheries. The fields are free of disturbances and the strike is definitive, with only a minor toning spot under UM of ALLUM leaving this as something less than a gem. While Talbots in this grade are not rare, this one is nicer than most. An important issue, one that really circulated in New York in the mid 1790s and beyond. This one survived the undignified disposition of most of the unspent survivors: to become half cent planchets at the Philadelphia Mint...Hold
Very Rare Plugged/Regulated Joe, from a West Indian Shipwreck
Brazil / British North America. 1747 6400 reis or half joe. Rio Mint. Clipped, re-edged, and anonymously plugged. Choice Very Fine. A rare prize, pedigreed to the Edward Roehrs Collection and, earlier still, to a shipwreck off the coast of Florida that yielded several American regulated gold pieces. Lightly abraded light yellow gold surfaces show fine granularity from sand exposure. This one has had a variety of misfortunes befall it during its useful life: it was clipped to below standard weight (it remains a half pennyweight light at 206.0 grains / precisely 8 dwt, 14 grains). It was re-edged with a fraudulent design to imitate an unclipped coin. Someone, convinced by the edge, decided to cut the coin to see if it was genuine and gold; it is both, but evidence of their detection method remains right of the date. Most interestingly, the coin was plugged neatly in Joao's hair, placed from the reverse, where a small raised splash of gold remains. These have been termed "anonymous regulations," as they bear no initials of the goldsmith who accomplished the work. After I wrote the Roehrs catalogue, another theory came to light: that this kind of very small, precise plug represents a drillhole to check the composition, a plug that was then replaced by a goldsmith. There remains little documentation of the practical methods of regulation, though we know the city of Charleston felt the problem was significant enough to consider appointing a "Pluggmaster General." A regulation such as this may have been anonymous because it was accomplished by a government contractor in North America or the West Indies. They remain very rare. As noted in the description in the Roehrs sale, another similar piece exists that was found in the Ohio River in Kentucky, so they have a foot to stand in the American series. The fact that the shipwreck which carried this piece had a likely American origin is even more suggestive; the wreck also yielded regulated gold coins from Philadelphia regulated John David, Jr., New York regulator John Burger, and others.
The Roehrs collection was a five decade assemblage of regulated and clipped gold coins, yet contained only a single plug like this. Its wreck provenance, likely American, and its collector pedigree only add to its interest...$4950
1785 Connecticut copper. Miller 3.2-L. Rarity-4. Choice Fine. Lovely glossy medium brown with no flaws beyond wear and some minor, natural planchet striations. The legends are complete, the date is fully present if worn, and the devices are nicely realized. Just a good looking original specimen of this first-year Connecticut copper, ideal for a date or type set...$350
The First Image of a Nova Constellatio Copper
Gentleman's Magazine, October 1786. Very Fine or so, in paper covers as issued, disbound from a larger volume. Plate intact and in excellent condition. This magazine was a popular London magazine of its day, offering literature, news, images, and other tidbits for the upper middle class of the day. This issue also contains a brief description of the piece, noting that "the United States, as appears by the inscription on the front of their coin, have erected the standard of liberty and justice," then snidely notes these two are known "only by name through that vast, once flourishing, continent." How rude. These magazines are scarce today. I have a few in stock; the first order will get the nicest copy...$400
A Double Struck New Jersey Copper: Feeder Fingers Gone Awry?
1787 New Jersey copper. Maris 43-d. Rarity-1. Choice Fine. A cool double strike on a variety that occasionally pops up with cool errors. Nice dark chocolate brown with tan devices. Glossy and smooth, good eye appeal, short old scratch at right truncation of the horsehead but pretty much flawless besides. Double struck, with the first strike wildly off-center (about 75%) to 3:00 on the obverse, 9:00 on the reverse. Still visible from the original strike are a strong arc of dentils on both sides and N of NOVA at the upper right side of the final E in CAESAREA on the dominant strike. The Ford collection contained an impressive off-center example that brought $8000. While there are plenty of 43-ds with minor "chatter doubling", examples like this - with strong separation between the strikes - are very rare. Why are there so many errors on Maris 43-d? It could have to do with the use of feeder fingers to place planchets onto the coining surface, and their malfunction at the time this variety was being struck. There could be other reasons too: a new staff member, poor quality control, or unpredictable press. Owning and studying a coin like this is a seminar on early minting technology in and of itself....$625